By Lewis Leong (From IGN) November 10, 2015
Rating: ★★★☆☆In order to make PC games work in the living room, Valve had to design a new controller to play just about any game. While many multi-platform games support controllers, there are PC games that were designed to be used solely with a keyboard and mouse. The Steam Controller attempts to be a jack of all trades, but in reality, it offers a mediocre gaming experience a majority of the time.
The first thing I noticed about the Steam Controller is how cheap it feels. Holding both the Steam Controller and Xbox Elite Controller side by side, there’s no competition; the Elite wins in every way, but it should given its $150 price tag. Even when compared to the regular Xbox One controller, the Steam Controller feels like a cheap gamepad you buy to play iPad games. Its buttons are stiff and don't offer much in the way of feedback, an issue typical with cheaper gamepads.
The Steam Controller is made entirely of plastic, except for the single rubberized thumb stick. This makes the controller relatively light, which is good for extended gamplay sessions. In the hand, the Steam Controller is comfortable, after you get over some initial awkwardness. The touchpads and grips are angled upward, which will strain your thumbs if you’re trying to lay them flat. The trick is to use the tip of your thumbs instead.